Next Mars rover set to launch in 2020

NASA's next Mars rover is aiming to determine whether or not life ever existed on the Red Planet.

The new rover will be based primarily on the design of Curiosity and is tentatively set for a 2020 launch. By reusing the landing system and spare parts from the previous rover the new project is likely to cost around $1.5 billion. The mission will be aimed at determining if life ever existed on Mars and will even collect samples of rocks and soil for return to Earth so that they can be studied in detail.

One point of contention however is that the rover will not be looking for signs that life still exists on Mars today. Astrobiologists have expressed their annoyance at what they perceive to be another missed opportunity. "It is the same old depressing story of NASA vetoing any proposal to do biological experiments on Mars," said Paul Davies of Arizona State University. "I personally think this is absurd."

"NASA’s next mission to Mars could potentially determine whether or not life once inhabited the Red Planet - or even currently still does."

Just stop buggering about and send someone up there. Yes because that will be cheap and easy won't it. Oh wait a minute, it will be the most expensive scientific undertaking in human history, we don't know how to protect the crew against radiation yet. We don't know if the medical conditions (such as bone loss and eye sight problems) will be too serious to over come. Oh, and no government in the world is currently prepared (or able) to fund a project that will make going to the moon look like a trip to the seaside. If you think that the research that NASA, Roscosmos and the other space agencie... [More]

For those whom may not know, the following song was part of a NASA/JPL animation(and some actual footage, not much) regarding a mission to Mars. I think on YouTube it's entitled "30 seconds to Mars" Thought I may share the full tune... [media=]